Can’t vote because you have to work?Check the laws in your state. Many states DO have laws that require employers to let you vote.
Can’t vote because you don’t have transportation?Lyft is currently offering rides free or at 50% off to anyone who needs to get to the polls. Uber is offering $10 off. Even many bike- and scooter-share companies are offering deals right now, and some cities (including Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, and Tampa) are making public transit free on voting day. And, chances are, you have friends who also need to vote, so see if you can carpool.
Worried you don’t know enough to vote?Vote.org will show you everything on your local ballot. Several organizations also have voting guides which will give you more in-depth information. Make sure you choose an organization you trust. I recommend starting with the website for your state’s ACLU or Planned Parenthood.
Don’t like any of the candidates? My recommendation to you is to pick the least objectionable person you think can win. I would never tell you to vote against your conscience, but I do still think it’s important to make your choice with the understanding that it has consequences. Trump’s victory margin was smaller than total Stein votes in key swing states. As for write-ins, know that your write-in could be equivalent to a vote for the candidate you like least and be sure you’re comfortable with that before doing it.
Reminders
Voting day is Tuesday, November 6, 2018. Hours vary by location, but the day does not.
Do not take pictures of your ballot.
Do not campaign at the polling place.
Make sure you have proper ID, if needed.
If you’re voting electronically, double, even triple-check every vote before submitting, even if you have an option to vote straight ticket. There have been cases where this doesn’t work as expected. If you can’t find your party candidate, make sure to check the next page as there have also been glitches (at least in my state) that push the Democratic candidate after the massive list of independent candidates.
If you’re voting on paper, check every side of every page to avoid missing any votes.
And most importantly, offer to take your friends, family, or co-workers with you to vote if they weren’t already planning to go.
this is really it huh? millenials are old now. they can’t handle kids dancing just bc its from something they’re not into. bc its not aimed at them. congratulations you’re doing what you said you wouldn’t and are turning into your parents and grandparents. i know this is how it always goes but millenials were So Sure they’d break the cycle and look at them. mad at kids doing fun lil dances. shut up
So I was tagged by @why-animals-do-the-thing in a post about what not to say in a job interview. It’s a bit overdue, but I figured this was a good opportunity to continue some of “How to Zookeep” and give y’all some insight on interviews. I’ve actually conducted quite a lot of interviews for an entry-level position. Here are just a few Do’s and Don’ts…
Wear an outfit that looks pretty nice, but don’t go too formal. You should be able to get muddy or hop a fence - just in case. Most of the time you’ll know if it’s a true working interview, but some interviews will involve a tour, meeting an animal, or other situations where you might get messy.
Show that you’ve researched the facility and the position. This is especially true for phone interviews or if you’re not from the area. If you’ve ever visited the facility, mention that. Mention specific parts of the job description and why you’re interested or why you would excel at it. I know I always make a good note if candidates reference something on our website or from the job description because it lets me know they’ve done their homework. (One time a candidate quoted something verbatim and it was a little jarring only because I wrote that part of the website and it was strange to hear someone quote me).
If at all possible, have specific examples from your past experiences that you can talk about. These could be examples of training, working well with others, strengths & weaknesses, general animal care, etc. Try to be able to tell a story about when you worked around a training difficulty or resolved an issue with a coworker. And yes, have a real answer for “strengths and weaknesses”.
Try to use the most ‘updated’ zoo language you can. Zoo terminology changes so fast it’s hard to keep up. Try to use some of the research (website and job description) to see what kind of language this particular facility uses and attempt to mirror it. Examples are “in human care” instead of captivity or “habitat / enclosure” instead of cage/exhibit. It’s just a bonus way to make a good impression.
Don’t get political. This is what @why-animals-do-the-thing was asked about - mentioning animal rights activist groups in the interview. Unless you are completely sure that it is specifically relevant to the position try not to get into any heavy areas of debate, any controversial news stories (think Harambe), or politically charged organizations like PETA, HSUS, etc. And even though you might think that everyone in the zoo world agrees that US politics are terrible for zoos/the environment or something along those lines, a job interview is not the time to mention it.
Don’t ask for tips about a specific facility on a public forum. It’s important to do research, but this one crosses a bit of a professional line. I would advise against going on any public forum (like the facebook groups You Know You’re a Zookeeper When and Zookreepers) and asking for interview advice about a certain facility. Most people won’t want to comment publicly about their facility as it can be seen as unprofessional and a lot of their coworkers will see it. Most of the time the research you need can be done on the website and with some googling, but if you feel you just need to talk to someone who works there, try flexing your networking muscle a bit.
Don’t say you love animals. This sounds contradictory but hear me out here - this job is about much more than loving animals. A lot of interviewers are used to hearing this answer or seeing it in cover letters of people who think that liking animals is all you have to do for a job. Yes, you love animals, we know that. But what do you love about working with them? Do you like enrichment, exhibit design, training? What do you love about the career of zookeeper / aquarist / etc? It’s important to go beyond the surface of just wanting to be around animals and go into the details of how you will improve their lives when you literally have their lives in your hands. I’ve heard from a lot of interviewers that they’re tired of hearing about ‘passion’, they want to hear about action. They want to hear about cleaning, hard work, the real nitty-gritty of the job. This don’t also leads to a general tip (what if you don’t have examples of what you like yet?)
General Tips
Here’s a common problem: you’re applying for your first entry-level position and you don’t have any animal experience yet. What do you talk about? Here’s some ideas:
Academic research or fieldwork - did you go on birding trips? Did you do mist-netting? Have you worked in a lab that uses live animals? Those things can be beginner animal experience.
Volunteering - zoos, vet clinics, etc.
Formal domestic animal experience - even if it’s not with exotic animals, the basics of caring for small domestics (cats, dogs, rodents, fish, etc.) in a formal setting (vet, pet store, rescue) has some aspects that apply in zoos, such as restraint and medical care.
Personal pets (very carefully) - It’s not that personal pet experience isn’t helpful when you’re just starting out, but sometimes newer keepers come in with an idea that their pet experience is on the same level as caring for animals in a formal career setting. It is not. Caring for your own animal in your own home is VERY different from caring for it in a zoo, aquarium, vet’s office, etc. In a formal setting, there are legal guidelines to follow, teams of people to communicate with about animal care, and lots of formality/red tape that doesn’t exist in a home setting. Pets can be useful as examples in interviews if it is relevant (medicating, enrichment, restraint) but they are almost never seen as an actual qualification. Side note, please don’t list personal pet care on a resume.
Overall in an interview, you want to try to be as collected and confident as possible. BUT if you get nervous and you’re really struggling, just tell us! It’s better to just laugh a bit and say sorry, I’m nervous, than to completely freeze up. I have done plenty of interviews where the person is nervous and that’s okay. I’ve hired people who were nervous or misspoke in their interview.
If you have any other questions, feel free to drop me a line. I’ve interviewed and hired people for just three years now, so I may not be particularly seasoned, but I can lend a little of my expertise.
Please don’t let the audience of the NYC production of Be More Chill be like Exit 82
I know it’s just been announced, but please if you see BMC in New York don’t act like a dick. Exit 82 did a wonderful job, but the audience was terrible.
A musical is not a sing a long or a concert. You’re there to see the actors perform the show so don’t sing a long or hum. (Especially during Michael In The Bathroom) Also, don’t say lines along with the actors. They are the ones on stage, not you.
You don’t need to scream when you see your fave actor/character. Yes, you can laugh during the funny parts and cheer a bit but don’t be so loud you can’t hear the actors say their lines.
Don’t be on your phone or talking during the performance. If you’re going to record a boot do it discreetly.
The bottom line is be respectful. This is the actors job and they have to focus. They are giving you this performance, and you need to give them your respect. You don’t want to be the rude person Will Roland tweets about during intermission do you?
I might sound aggressive, but this is just some basic theater etiquette. I love Be More Chill, and the stories of the audience from Exit 82 just made me so sad because people were rude when they had a chance to see BMC live.
